For more than twenty years he has been releasing, to only marginal commercial and critical success, playful and transgressive albums on labels in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Japan. In his lyrics and his other writing he makes seemingly random use of decontextualized pieces of continental (mostly French) philosophy, and has built up a personal world he says is "dominated by values like diversity, orientalism, and a respect for otherness." He is also known in certain circles outside the U.S. as a producer. He is fascinated by identity, Japan, the avant-garde, time travel and sex. Live Momus shows are rare but when he does perform he often sings the crowd favourite 'maf' from the Stars Forever LP.
He wears a patch over his right eye because he lost the use of it after contracting acanthamoeba keratitis from a contact lens case washed with Greek tap water.
Nick Currie currently resides in Osaka, Japan.
Lord of the Dance
Momus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I see the Saviour (The Lord is coming back)
A beautiful woman (The Lord is coming)
These are the last days (The last days of mankind)
People in fever (At the end of the working week)
Is the end of the world (He's coming back!)
And the Messiah is coming
With the body of a beautiful girl
Dance, dance, if you're a believer
In the light and rhythm and heat
Jesus Christ is a disco diva
She has come to set you free
She told me: "Lay down your heavy burden
Get up and follow me
I will make you fishers of men
I am the Lord of the Dance", said she
"I will turn you on"
I see a beautiful woman (O Sabba Dukkha)
She's got the face of the Buddha (O Sabba Annata)
I see her coming and smiling (O Sabba Annika)
I hear her singing and saying (So speaks the Buddha)
"In man is no abiding entity (O Sabba Dukkha)
In things no abiding reality (O Sabba Annata)
Fantastic illusion is everywhere (O Sabba Annika)
Abandon every earthly care (So speaks the Buddha) and .....
Dance, dance, if you're a believer
In the light and rhythm and heat
Siddharta Gotama is a disco diva
She has come to set you free"
She told me: "Fantasy is transitory, fashion is impermanent
So let go, don't hold on
I am the Lord of the Dance", said she
"I will turn you ..... "
Dance, dance, if you're a believer
In the light and rhythm and heat
In the beautiful fever of the disco diva
She has come to set you free
Ecstasy is transitory, passion is impermanent
So let go, don't hold on .....
The song "Lord of the Dance" by Momus is a unique and imaginative take on religion and spirituality. The first verse describes a vision of the end times, where the Messiah is coming back to save humanity. However, instead of coming in the form of a man, the Lord appears as a beautiful woman. The imagery is striking and unexpected, challenging traditional gender roles within religious iconography. The chorus encourages listeners to embrace the euphoric and freeing elements of dance and music, with the Lord of the Dance as a metaphorical disco diva guiding them. The second verse shifts gears and invokes the Buddha, further expressing the ideas of impermanence and illusion within existence.
Overall, the song combines a variety of religious and spiritual themes with playful and provocative lyrics. By breaking apart traditional frameworks and presenting these ideas in a fresh and modern light, Momus creates a compelling narrative that encourages listeners to let go of their burdens and embrace the beauty and excitement of the present moment.
Line by Line Meaning
It's like a vision
The artist is having a vision or epiphany.
I see the Saviour
The artist sees the coming of the Lord.
A beautiful woman
The Lord, represented as a beautiful woman, is coming.
These are the last days
The end of mankind is near.
People in fever
As the week comes to an end, people are excited and eager for the Lord's coming.
Is the end of the world
This is the end of the world as we know it.
And the Messiah is coming
Jesus Christ, the savior, is coming.
With the body of a beautiful girl
The Lord is represented as a beautiful female form.
And the people say .....
Anticipation builds as people wait for the arrival of the Lord.
Dance, dance, if you're a believer
The Lord has come to set the believers free and calls on them to dance in celebration.
In the light and rhythm and heat
The Lord's presence brings warmth, rhythm and light to the world.
Jesus Christ is a disco diva
The Lord is portrayed as a figure of fun with a disco diva persona.
She has come to set you free
The Lord has come to set people free from their burdens and sins.
She told me: "Lay down your heavy burden
The Lord's message is to let go of your past burdens and follow her.
Get up and follow me
The Lord encourages people to stand up and follow her.
I will make you fishers of men
The Lord will help believers to spread the message of Christianity.
I am the Lord of the Dance", said she
The Lord identifies herself as the Lord of the Dance.
I will turn you on
The Lord promises to inspire and excite people.
I see a beautiful woman
The artist has another vision of a beautiful woman.
She's got the face of the Buddha
The woman has the appearance of Buddha.
I see her coming and smiling
The woman is seen coming towards the artist and smiling.
I hear her singing and saying
The woman's message is heard through her singing.
"In man is no abiding entity
The woman's message speaks of the impermanence of life.
In things no abiding reality
Everything is temporary and changeable.
Fantastic illusion is everywhere
The world is full of illusions.
Abandon every earthly care
One should let go of all attachments to the physical world.
Siddharta Gotama is a disco diva
Buddha is portrayed as a disco diva.
Ecstasy is transitory, passion is impermanent
Even extreme emotions like ecstasy and passion are temporary.
So let go, don't hold on
One should let go of attachments and embrace impermanence.
In the beautiful fever of the disco diva
The artist is caught up in the exciting and energetic atmosphere of the Lord's presence.
Contributed by Caleb W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Aldo Charles
on Morality Is Vanity
I’ve been listening to this song last two weeks.